Tube-splicing press



Dec. 30, .1930. c. E. MAYNARD 1,786,440

TUBE SPLICING PRESS Filed Aug. 3, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 a" 0 7 E75 5 2 .JH

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A TTO Dec. 30, 1930. Q E, MAYNARD 1,786,440

TUBE SPLICING PRESS Filed Aug. 5, 1927 s Sheets-Sheet s O Q o G 35 r 5/ Q 29 o a. K. I 37 45 37--- 0 38 6/ 4'3 V 20 Q (K O f? O g /20 Z/ a 78 J o o *o 0 9O 6 I: 4 0

Patented Dec. 30, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES E. MAYNARD, F NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE FISK RUBBER COMPANY, OF CHICOPEE FALLS, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS TUBE-SPLICING PRESS Application filed August 3, 1927. Serial No. 210,294.

' This invention relates to vulcanizing presses adapted for the splicing of rubber inner tubes and is particularly designed for the performance of the method described and claimed in my prior application Serial No. 184,393, filed April 16, 1927. -The object of the invention is to provide a mechanism which will splice rubber tubes without the necessity of using splicing mandrels. A further object is to provide a mechanism for splicing tubes which will automatically terminate the cure when the proper time has elapsed. A further object is to provide a mechanism which will automatically return to a position ready for the reception of a fresh tube after the completion of one splicing operation. A further object is to provide a tube splicing press in which the spliced tube is automatically ejected from the machine after the completion of the cure.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a machine embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a detail section similar to Fig. 4 but showing the parts in a different position of operation;

Fig. 6 1s a side elevation with certain parts removed, taken on the line 66 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a section on line 7-7 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Fig. 6;

Figs. 9 and 10 are developments of the surface of parts shown in Fig. 8 illustrating two different positions of operation;

Fig. 11 is a section on line 1111 of Fig 6;

Figs. 12 and 13 are views similar to Figs. 9 and 10 but relating to the mechanism shown in Fig. 11; i

Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic side elevation with certain parts removed illustrating the mechanism in position for the commencement of a splicing operation;

Fig. 15 is a similar view showing these 7 parts in the position they occupy during the Fig. 17 is a view similar to Fig. 14 but showing the press members separated after the cure has been finished and illustrating the action of the ejecting mechanism;

Fig. 18 is a perspective showing the manner in which the tube is positioned between the press members for splicing; and

Fig. 19 is a detail of a tube ready for its ends to be joined priorto the action of the press.

Supported upon a frame 20 which also carries the other parts of the mechanism: is a fixed platen 21 cored out as at 22 to provide a steam'heating cavity. A steam inlet pipe 23 and an outlet pipe 24 are provided by means of which steam may be circulated constantly through the cored out portion of the platen to maintain it at a vulcanizing temperature. If desired other heating means may be employed such as electric resistant elements, but the steam method described is perhaps as simple as any. The surface 25 of the platen is provided with a transverse concavity 26 into which the thickened portion of the tube at the splice fits. From this concavity, near one edge thereof, vent holes 27 lead into a trans verse vent pipe 28 for a purpose to be de scribed later.

Mounted for a short vertical reciprocation above the fixed platen 21 is a movable platen 29' cored at 30 to provide a steam heating chamber. A steam inlet 31 and an outlet 32 provide means for supplying steam to'this chamber for maintaining V the platen at a vulcanizing temperature. The lower surface 33 ofthe platen is provided with a transverse concavity 34 mating with the concavity 26 previously referred to. Vent holes 35 at one edge ofthe concavity 34 lead into a transverse hole 36 so as to provide means for allowing any gases liberated by the splice to escape. The upper platen is secured to a member 37 joined to the frame 20 by double links 38 so as to have a vertical movement in a substantially straight line. Pivoted to the upper end of the member 37 is a link 40 preferably made double and having its central part joined by' a strut 41 so as to prevent buckling. The upper end of the double link40 is joined by a pivot 42 to a rocking arm 43 mounted upon a pivot 44 u on the frame 20. A leaf spring 45 is joined y bolts 46 to the arm 43 and is pivoted at 47 to one arm 48 of atoggle, the other arm of which is formed by a double link pivoted at 50 to the frame. The two members of the toggle are pivoted together at 51, this pivot being shown on the drawings only in Figs. 3 and 15. The pivot 51 is joined by a connecting rod 52 to a crank 53 upon a shaft 54. By the described chain of mechanisms the upper platen 29 is caused to move vertically a short distance and in its lowermost position to press against platen 21 with a force determined by the strength of the spring 45. By reason of the interposition of the spring the pressure will be constant and yielding throughout the cure.

Power is transmitted to the press by a belt 55 coming from a suitable source of power and runnlng over a pulley 56 upon a shaft 57 running transversely through the frame 20. On the end of the shaft 57 remote from the pulley is a pinion 58 connecting with a gear 59 on a shaft 60. This latter shaft likewise runs completely through the frame 20 and carries upon its other end a pinion 61 which is loosely mounted thereon. This pinion meshes with a gear 62 which is fixed upon the shaft 54 carrying the crank mechanism previously described.

The hub 63 of the pinion 61 isprovided with slideways 64 in which runs a dog 65. One end of the dog is beveled off at one side as best shown in Fig. 12, this end 66 meshing in certain positions with ratchet teeth 67 upon a member 68 keyed to the shaft 60 at 69. A pin 70 upon the dog extends radially inwardly into a slot 71 in the hub 63 and is con stantly pressed toward the member 68 by a spring 72. In the outer surface of the dog is cut a slot 7 3 having one straight side 74 and one angular side 75. Into this slot fits the edge-shaped end 7 6 of a bell crank 77 pivoted at 78 to the frame as best shown in Fig. 14 and constantly urged toward the dog by a spring 79 attached to the bell crank at one end and to the other to a pin 80 upon the frame. A pin 81 extending sidewardly from the bell crank bears against the side of the dog when the parts are in the position of Fig. 12 and stops the rotation of the loose gear 61.

The purpose of the mechanism just described is to cause the gear 61 to complete a single revolution and then automatically to stop. Pinion 61 has one half the number of teeth of the gear 62 so that this single revolution of the pinion is sufficient to cause the gear 62 to have a half revolution, this rotating the crank so as to press the upper platen to its lower limit, or upon the next actuation of the pinion to raise it to the upper position. The rotation of the pinion is started by the motion of the bell crank from the position of Fig. 14 to that of Fig. 15, the bell crank itself being moved by mechanism which will be described below.

It will be remembered that the shaft 60 and consequently the ratchet member 68 revolve constantly, but that the gear 61 is rotated intermittently only when desired by the operator or when determined by the automatic action of the machine itself. Assuming the parts to be in the position of Fig. 6, which corresponds to the diagrammatic view of Fig. 12, the bell crank will be swung counterclockwiseas viewed in Fig. 6 removing its wedge end 76 from the slot 7 3 of the dog. The spring 72 is then leftfree to urge the dog toward the right as viewed in 12, bringing its end 66 into one of the ratchet teeth 67. This operation is shown in Fig. 13. After the dog has turned out of range of the bell crank, the latter is allowed by its controlling mechanism to return to the position of Fig. 6 in which it is placed in the path of the slot 73 when the dog has completed one revolution. W hen the dog again contacts with the wedge end 76 of the bell crank the angular surface 75 of the slot rides up upon the wedge end 76, withdrawing the dog from contact with the ratchet teeth and moving it again to the positionof Fig. 1.2. The rotation of gear 61 is finally stopped in this position by the pin 81, and the parts rest in the position shown until the bell crank is once again actuated.

. The end 82 of the bell crank '77 remote from the wedge portion 7 6 may be tilted downwardly as viewed in 6 by the end of a rocker 83 pivoted at 84 to the frame and connected by a link 85 to a treadle or other operating device which has not been shown. The manual operation of the bell crank serves to start the vulcanizing operation. The end of the vulcanizing operation is determined automatically and in a manner to give automatic adjustable control of the length of cure desired.

For the purpose of giving automatic con trol of the ending of the cure a cam 86 which contacts with a roller 66 on the end of the bell crank arm 82 is mounted upon a ring 87. The inner surface of the ring is provided with a groove 88 into whic i set the heads of screws 89 passing into a clutch member 90. The screw heads serve as the means to preserve the cam ring in proper a nnent with the clutch member while pern ibo ig its rotation for purposes of adjustment. Holes 91 in the cam ring are provided at a number of intervals around the periphery of tire ring. A screw 92 threaded into the clutch member may be made to pass through any one of the The clutch member 90 is mounted upon a shaft 95 on which a gear 96 is secured as by a key 97. The gear 96 meshes with a pinion 98 (Fig. 6) carried upon a shaft 99 also carrying (see Figs. 1 and 2) a gear 100. The latter gear meshes with a pinion 101 upon the shaft 60 previously described. The train of gears is designed in the case shown so as to give the shaft 95 a speed approximately eighteen and one half times slower than the shaft 60. By varying the train of gears a wide adjustment in the time of cure may be given, smaller variations being accomplished by moving the cam 86.

Referring particularly to Figs. 8 to 10 inclusive, the clutch member 90 is provided with a slideway 102 in which runs a dog'103 having a pointed end 104. This end runs in a ratchet 105 when the dog is in the position of Fig. 10. The ratchet is preferably made integral with the gear 96. In the outer surface of the dog is a slot 106 with one angular side in which runs the wedge end 107 of the rocking arm 83. The dog is constantly forced towards the ratchet by a spring 107, and a pin'108 serves to stop the rotation of the dog and consequently of the clutch member 90 when the parts are in the position of Fig. 9. This mechanism has not been described in great detail as it is exactly similar to the mechanism previously described in connection with Figs. 11 to 13 inclusive, and operates in exactly the same way to permit one revolution of the clutch member with automatic stopping after the revolution has been completed. When the revolution has been nearly completed the cam 86 contacts with the roller on the end of the bell crank arm 82 and, as shown in Fig. 16, swings the wedge end 76 out of contact with the dog thus starting the pinion 61 in rotation and moving the upper platen from the position of Fig. 16 to that of Fig. 17.

Mechanism is also provided for removing the vulcanized tube from the platen after the completion of the cure so that there will be no danger of over-vulcanization due to the attendant not removing the tube after the platen has separated. On opposite sides of the machine are rockers 109 pivoted to the frame at 110. The lower ends of these rockers are joined by a plate 111 cut away so as to form a web portion 112, shown in Fig. 1, which extends between the platen surfaces to co-operate with the body of the web in ejecting a tube. Attached to one of these rockers is a cam plate 113 co-operating with a cam 114 (Fig. 17) mounted upon the main crankshaft. As the main crank nears the completion of its second half revolution the cam 114 contacts with the cam plate 113 and swings the rocker forcing the vulcanized tube 0E from the lower platen. The cam plate 113 is held against the cam 114 and the rocker returns into its inactive position by a spring'115 connected at one end to a pin 116 on the frame and at'its other end to an arm 117 projecting fromthe rocker. A rod 118 is preferably provided at the front of the machine in order'to catch the tube after it has been removed from the platen by the plate 111.

Considering now the complete operation of the mechanism and the vulcanization of a tube thereby, Fig. 19 shows a tube 119 which is ready for splicing. One end 120 is cuffed back and cemented and the other end 121 is cementedonly. The two ends are now overlapped asat 122 (Fig. 18) and this overlapped portion is placed upon the lower platen in the groove 26. The operator now depresses the treadle or otherwise actuates the rocking arm 83 causing the bell crank 77 to be swung counter-clockwise as shown in Fig. 14. This releases the dog 65 and causes by the train of gears described the main crank to take a one-half revolution, auto matic stopping occurring in the manner previously explained. .This one-half revolution brings the toggle members to the position of Fig. 15 in which the spring 45 is strained and the upper platen brought down firmly upon the tube. This condition is also shown in Fig. 5. The initial movement of the rocker 83 also relieves the dog 103 and starts the revolution of the cam 86. During the time when the upper platen is depressed as in Fig. 15, the clutch member 90 continues its rotation until finally the cam 86 reaches the roller on the end of the bell crank as in Fig. 16. The dog 65 is then for a second time released and the main crank caused to take another half revolution, breaking the toggle and causing the upper platen to ascend as in Fig. 17. The plate 111 carried by the'rocker 109 is projected as in Fig. 17 during the latter part of this operation, ejecting the tube upon the rod 118. This completes the action of the machine although it'is preferable to put the tube back between the platens after rotating it through a quarter revolution as has been explained in my co-pending application above referred to. a

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A tube splicing press comprising a pair of opposed platens, mechanism for moving the platens towards or from each other in cluding a one-revolution clutch, means for actuating the clutch, a cam for causing the operation of said means, a second one-revolution clutch controlling the rotation of the cam, and gearing between the two clutches lvsvhereby the second is rotated slower than the rst.

2. A tube splicing press comprising a pair of substantially flat platens having opposed splice receiving grooves, means for moving the platens towards and from each other, and

its

means for ejecting a spliced tube from between the platens.

3. A tube s licing press comprising a pair of substantia 1y fiat platens having opposed splice receiving grooves, mechanism for movin the platens towards or away from each 0t er, manual means for initiating the platen closingmovement of said mechanism, and time controlled means for initiating the platen opening movement of said mechanism. I Y

4. A tube splicing press comprising a pair of substanially flat platens having opposed s lice receiving grooves, means for pressing t e platens towards each other, and time controlled means for causing separation of the platens.

5. A tube splicing press comprising a pair of substantially flat platens having opposed splice receiving grooves, means for pressing the platens towards each other, time controlled means for causing separation of the platens, and means for ejecting the spliced tube from between the platens.

CHARLES E. MAYNARD 

